Senate committee recommends Rodney Barreto for reconfirmation to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission amid mixed public comment

The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on an unspecified date recommended favorably the reconfirmation of Rodney Barreto to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) following a confirmation hearing and public comment.

The hearing featured questions from committee members about Barreto's private land holdings, past agency decisions and his ties to development and lobbying. Members of the public gave both support and opposition: several speakers urged the committee to reject his reappointment because of perceived conflicts of interest, while other senators and commenters highlighted Barreto's conservation initiatives and agency accomplishments.

Rodney Barreto, introduced to the committee as a nominee and current chairman of the FWC board, told senators he did not know why opponents were inundating the committee with emails and said the commission’s record shows its work. "I have no clue why they're doing it. All I can just tell you, I can look at my record of my efforts on the commission, and you can see and they could speak for themselves," Barreto said. He described his background as a businessman and former police officer and said the commission has expanded public access to wildlife management areas and conserved land.

During questioning, senators pressed Barreto about three issues raised repeatedly in testimony and public correspondence: (1) ownership and possible development of submerged and upland property off Singer Island; (2) the Split Oak conservation-land transaction and the state’s mitigation and funding received for that deal; and (3) the possibility of restarting a bear hunt and the timing of any related FWC actions.

On Singer Island, Barreto said he owns both upland and submerged portions of the property and that there is currently no application before Palm Beach County or the state to develop the land. "I'm not in the business of buying land and giving land to people. I'm in the business of making money," Barreto said when explaining why he had not transferred the parcel to the county. He said earlier discussions with the Department of Environmental Protection did not result in any pending application and that his current approach is land banking and entertaining offers, including potential mitigation uses.

On the Split Oak property, Barreto described the exchange as an agency-negotiated trade in which FWC relinquished roughly 60 acres of the wildlife management area to allow a state expressway project while gaining other land and funds. He said the agency received about 1,550 acres in return and secured a negotiated package he described as "$40,000,000, 23 million of that to manage this property and to rehabilitate it and another $18,000,000 to buy more property," which he said would fund rehabilitation and acquisition for public use.

Public commenters who opposed the reconfirmation argued those financial and development ties created conflicts. Leslie Blackner, a lifelong Floridian who said she has followed FWC for two decades, called Barreto "exhibit A for why we need reform at the top" and criticized the board's appointment process and lack of term limits. Robin Blevins, speaking as a diver and scientist, urged the committee to reject the reappointment, saying Barreto's private-sector ties risked favoring development over conservation. "He said it himself. He's a businessman. He's looking to make money," Blevins said.

Katrina Shaddix, who said she attends FWC meetings regularly, described agency work on bear management and cited an FWC population estimate from a prior study: "the FWC estimates 4,030 bears left in the state," she told the committee, and said she was concerned by moves to bring a bear-hunt proposal back to the commission before recent population studies are complete. Barreto told senators that staff would present bear-population updates and options at the next commission meeting and that he had not yet seen a formal proposal.

Senator Javier Avila (senior senator; committee member) and other supporters highlighted conservation work by FWC, including a recent effort to release juvenile redfish into Biscayne Bay. Avila said Barreto led an effort to release 50,000 juvenile redfish into Biscayne Bay and praised agency efforts to address long-running declines there.

Committee action: Senator Broder moved to recommend confirmation of Barreto. The committee recorded the following roll-call votes: Senator Arrington — yes; Senator Avila — yes; Senator Broder — yes; Senator Desigley — yes; Senator Harrell — yes; Senator Polsky — yes; Senator Smith — no; Vice Chair Angolia — yes; Chair Rodriguez — yes. By that vote the committee "recommended favorably" Barreto's reconfirmation. The tally recorded in committee was eight yes, one no.

The committee record shows this was a recommendation to the full Senate; the transcript and committee action do not contain a final gubernatorial-appointment confirmation by the full Senate. Several public speakers requested legislative reform of FWC appointment practices, including term limits and clearer restrictions on appointees' private-sector activities.

Ending details: Committee staff advised members about procedural rules for speaking and appearance forms before the hearing. Several other agenda items and subsequent appointment votes were handled later in the meeting.